Vacuum cleaner attachment for shag rugs and the like

ABSTRACT

AN ATTACHMENT OF VACUUM CLEANERS IS DISCLOSED WHICH FINDS PARTICULAR USE IN THE COMBING AND CLEANING OF SHAG RUGS. THE ATTACHMENT CONSISTS OF A ELONGATED HOUSING FROM WHICH EXTEND A PLURALITY OF SPACED FINGER MEMBERS THAT PROVIDE A COMBING FUNCTION AS THE ATTACHMENT IS DRAWN THROUGH THE RUG. EACH OF THE FINGER MEMBERS HASA LONGITUDINAL BORE THAT COMMUNICATES WITH A SOURCE OF VACUUM AND OPENS ON THE TRAILING EDGE OF THE FINGER MEMBER TO PICK UP DUST AND DIRT PARTICLES LOOSENED BY PASSAGE OF THE MEMBERS THROUGH THE RUG.

Oct. 12, 1971 p JOHNSON 3,611,473

VACUUM CLEANER ATTACHMENT FOR SHAG BUGS AND THE LIKE Filed Aug. 1, 5 I969 INVENTOR. PHILLIP P. JOf/NSON ATTORNEYS United States Patent 01 Patented Oct. 12, 1971 ice 3,611,473 VACUUM CLEANER ATTACHMENT FOR SHAG RUGS AND THE LIKE Phillip P. Johnson, RE. 2, Owatonna, Minn. 55060 Filed Aug. 1, 1969,.Ser. No. 846,677 Int. Cl. A471 9/02 U.S. Cl. -397 4 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE An attachment for vacuum cleaners is disclosed which finds particular use in the combing and cleaning of shag rugs. The attachment consists of an elongated housing from which extend a plurality of spaced finger members that provide a combing function as the attachment is drawn through the rug. Each of the finger members has a longitudinal bore that communicates with a source of vacuum and opens on the trailing edge of the finger member to pick up dust and dirt particles loosened by passage of the members through the rug.

The invention falls within the art of vacuum cleaner attachments, and is specifically directed to such an attachment that both combs and cleans shag rugs and the like.

Shag and other similar deep pile rugs have enjoyed popularity for a period of time, but have also raised the problem of cleaning due to their extreme thickness. Conventional rug attachments for vacuum cleaners simply ride on the top of the rug pile, and, therefore, cannot reach dust and dirt particles that have filtered to the bottom of the pile. Shag rugs present a further problem because conventional rug attachments tend to draw in the individual rug filaments along with the dirt, thus causing difiiculty in passing the attachment through the rug. The presence of rug strands or filaments in the vacuum passage also decreases the capability of the attachment to suck in dust and dirt particles.

My invention solves the problems through provision of a vacuum cleaner attachment having a plurality of spaced, downwardly extending finger members which serve to both comb and clean the rug.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a vacuum cleaner attachment embodying the inventive principle attached to a conventional vacuum cleaner;

FIG. 2 is a side view of the vacuum cleaner attachments;

FIG. 3 is a front view of the vacuum cleaner attachment; and

FIG. 4 is a side cross-sectional view of the vacuum cleaner attachment as taken along the line 44 of FIG. 1.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring to all four figures, a vacuum cleaner attachment incorporating the inventive concept is represented generally by the numeral 11. The attachment 11 consists of an elongated body or housing 12 with a chamber 13 formed therein (FIG. 4). Attachment 11 is preferably molded from plastic, and includes a reinforcing rib 14 running the length of elongated member 12.

Extending downwardly from elongated member 12 are a plurality of spaced finger members 15, which, when viewed in the frontal view of FIG. 3, are relatively thin and tapered. The side views of FIGS. 2 and 4 show the finger members 15 to be somewhat wider in cross-section, and to consist of a coextending front or leading section 16 and a rear or trailing section 17, Front section 16 is solid and terminates in a rug engaging tip 18. Rear section 17 is shorter than section 16 and has a longitudinal bore 19 formed therein (FIG. 4), one end of which communicates with chamber 13. Bore 19 opens at the end of rear section 17 a predetermined distance above the rug engaging tip 18.

Also connected to elongated member 12 is a connecting tube 21 which is hollow throughout its length and communicates with chamber 13. Connecting tube 21 is disposed in an inclined position, and includes a free end 22 which is adapted for connection to a vacuum cleaner hose and handle 23 of a conventional vacuum cleaner 24.

When properly connected, attachment 11 is drawn through a shag rug 25 (FIG. 4) with the tips 18 of finger members 15 extending through the individual strands to engage rug 25 at or near its base, Passing attachment 11 through rug 25 in rake-like fashion both combs the individual strands and stirs up dust and dirt particles which can then be sucked into the bore 19. It should be noted that the position of bore 19 on the rear side of finger member 15 is particularly effective in preventing individual strands of rug 25 from being sucked into attachment 11. Thus, the finger members 15 are free to both comb and clean the entire pile thickness of rug 25 in an efiicient and efiortless manner.

What I claim is:

1. A vacuum cleaner attachment, comprising:

an elongated housing with a chamber formed therein;

a tubular connection member communicating with the housing chamber and adapted for connection with the vacuum cleaner;

and a plurality of spaced finger members connected to the housing and extending downwardly therefrom each finger member having leading and trailing downwardly extending sections, the leading section being of greater length and terminating in a rug engaging tip, the trailing section having a passage extending longitudinally therethrough which communicates with the housing chamber and opens at the end of the trailing section at a point adjacent to and above the rug engaging tip.

2. The device as defined by claim 1, wherein the finger members are equidistantly spaced.

3. The device as defined by claim 1, wherein the tubular connection is disposed at the midpoint of the elongated housing.

4. The device as defined by claim 1, wherein the finger members are tapered, and the frontal cross-sectional dimension is less than the side cross-sectional dimension.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,051,714 1/1913 Edwards 15397 X 1,462,400 7/1923 Warren l5397 1,525,106 2/1925 Smithe 15397 X FOREIGN PATENTS 951,597 10/1956 Germany 15-402 WALTER A. SCHEEL, Primary Examiner C. K. MOORE, Assistant Examiner US. 01. X.R. 1s 402 

